Counterbalancing mechanism for heads of pressing machines



HINEs E. DAVIS May 19, 1931.

COUNTERBALANCING MECHANISM FOR HEADS OF PRESSING MAC Original FiledApril l2. 1927 Wig. L

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Patented' May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST DAVIS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE vPROSIEERITY COMPANY INC., 0F SYRACUSE, TEW-YORK, A CORP0RATIGN4GF NEVI YORK' COUNTERBALANCING- MECHANISIN FOR HFLADS OF IPRESSING MACHINES Application led April 12, 1827, Serial No. 183,197. Renewed March 14, 1929.V

The invention relates to pressing machines as garment and laundry pressingmachines and has for its obj ect a particularly simple and eflcient counterbalancing' meansV as" springs and mechanism for compensatingfor the tensioning of thesprings during the clos-V ing of the press whereby the effective force of the counterbalancing springs on the head is practically the same in all positions of the head. f A

The invention consists in the novel. features and in the combinations `and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing` this invention reference is had tothe accompanying drawings in which like characters represent corresponding parts in all the views. x

Figure 1 `is a fragmentary elevation of a pressing machine embodying my invention, the position of the parts when the press is opened being shown in dotted line.

Figure 2 is an elevation lookingto the right in Figure 1, parts being omitted. d v

1 designates the buck of a pressing ma` chine, which is suitably supported by a frame a portion of which is shown at-2.

3 is the head movable toward and from the buck and carried at the front end of the lever 4 pivoted at 5 between its ends to the frame 2. The head 4 is operated by any suitable mechanism connected to the rear arm of the lever 4, the mechanism being here shown as a toggle consisting of links 6 and 7 pivotedtogether at 8, the formervbeing pivoted at 9 to the rear arm of the lever 4, and the latter at 10 to the rear leg of the pressing machine, and at a point near the toggle joint to an arm of a pedal lever or power actuating lever 11. The press here shown is designed to be rst closed by pulling down on the head 3 until the toggle consisting of the links 6, 7 is straightened, and then final pressure applied by applying power to the lever 11.

As is well known by those skilled in the art,

the head 4 is counterbalanced by weights or springs, or both, and also as the head moves from open poistion shown in dotted lines, Figure 1, to closed position, the effective length of the lever arm carrying the head 3 increases. That is, the vertical line passing through the center of gravity of V the'headji3 Y I moves farther away from the pivot 5 of the lever, as the head closes, and this in effect amounts to the lengthening o f the lever arm.

This invention relates tomeans for compensating the changes in conditions, that is, the increase of the effective lengthof the yoke arin, and the increase in'the'tension of the counterbalance springs. y n

The spring means are here'shown as a plurality of springs 12 carried by the frame and acting upon a movable abutment 13, and the motion transmitting means between this abutment 13 and the rear arm of-the lever 4'consists of a lever 14, pivoted at 15 to the frame i having its other arm 17 arranged to eiectively shorten the lever arm as the springs 12 ten` sion during the closing of the press head. The arm 17 is connected by a link 18 to the abutment 13, and this arm 17 is in its most eifective position or where it obtains lthe longest effective lever arm just as the head starts toward its closedV position. At this time the arm 17 makes a right angle with the link 18, and hence the arm 17 is in its most elfective position, and the arm 17 moves into a position where it makes an acute angler with the link 18 as the press closes, and as the springs 12 tension, so that the effective leverage of the arm 17 is lessened when the springs are at a greatestl tension. The angular position of this arm 17 relatively to the link 18 is such that any differences due to the effective increasein leverage of the head 3 on the arm 4 as the head closes, and the increase intension of the springs 12 as the head closes, is compensated for in order that the effective counterbalancing force on the lever 4 is substantially constant in all positions of the head 3. p y lAs the rear arm of the lever 4 and the 'long arm of the lever 14 are parallel and substantially equal'in length, Vthenchanges of angular position of one compensates for the changes of angular position of the other.v

Vlhat I claim is:.-- 'v l 1. A lpressing machine including a frame,

a buck, a head movable toward and from the buck, a lever pivoted between its ends to the to the springs, the arm of the lever'element connected to the link being arranged to move into a positionat an acute angle to the link as the springs tension during the closing of the press whereby the leverage of the lever element becomes Vless effective as the springs tension.

' 2. A pressing machine including a frame, a b uck,'a head movable toward and from the buck, and a lever pivoted between Vits ends to the frame, and carrying the head, counterbalancing springs and motion transmitting means between the springs and said lever comprising means for compensating-for the tensioning of the springs during the closing of the press head whereby the Aeiiective force o f the connterbalancing springs on` the head is substantially equal in all positions or" the head, said compensating means comprisingV a lever element, a link connected at one end tothe lever element, and at its other end to the springs, connections between the other arm of the lever element and the lever carrying the'head, the lever element being movable from a position at a right angle to the link into a position at an acute angle to the linkY as the press head closes and t-he springs tension. l f i 3. Aprcssing machine ,comprising a buck, a head movable towardand from the buck, a lever pivoted to the :trame and carrying the head, a second lever pivoted tothe frame between its ends, a link connecting one arm of the second lever to the first lever, counterbalancing springs, a spring abutment coacting with the counterbalancing springs and a link connecting vthe other arm of the second lever and the spring abutment and means for actuating the first mentioned link.

4. In a pressing machine, the combination of cooperating pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other, means for actuating the movable element to close the press, a counter-spring, motion transmitting mechanism connected to the movable element and the spring to open the press and including means for .compensating for the tensioning of the spring during the closing of the press whereby the force of the spring tends to remain constant in all positions of the movable element, said means comprisinga lever arm and a link connecting the lever arm andthe spring, the lever arm beinP normally arranged at aright angle to tha direction of the tensioning movement of the spring and said lever arm being movable during the closing of the press into a position at an acute angle to the link and connections between said lever arm and the movable pressing element.

5. In a pressing machine, the combination of cooperating pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other,

means for actuating the Imovable elementtoj close the press, a counterfspring, motion transmitting mechanism connected to the movable element and the spring to open the press and including means for compensating for the tensioning of the springn during the closing of the press whereby the force ofthe spring tends to remainconstanty in all positions ofthe movable element, said compensating means including` a lever with arms ing element, a link connecting said levers and means connecting the other lever and the spring, comprising an additional lever :arm and a link connected thereto and to the spring,the additional lever arm being normally arranged at substantially a right angle to the axial'line of the spring and to the link connected thereto, and movable into a position at an inclined angle to said link connecting it and the spring as the press closes, thefadditional lever arm being connected to said other lever to move therewith. Y In testimony, whereof, I have hereunto signed myname, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and in the State of NewYork, this 28th day of March, 1927. Y

' ERNEST DAVIS.

link and the link extending parallel tothe 

